Pallor skin: Seen in those who live indoors or stay indoors such as night workers or prisoners. Could also be due to anemia. Temporary pale skin could indicate syncope, chills, shock, rigors or a vasomotor instability. Sudden or persistent palor could be a sign of internal hemorrhage or lead poisoning. If the pale skin becomes permanent, it could indicate chronic febrile disease, chronic gastro-intestinal disease, cancer, arsenical poisoning, chronic suppuration, chronic mercurial poisoning, hemorrhages, leukemia, cachexia, nephrosis, nephritis, syphilis, parasitic diseases, tuberculosis or malaria.

Purplish skin: Could indicate interference of circulation common in asthmatics and typhus.

Red rashes on the skin: Could indicate local redness seen in inflammation, skin diseases, chronic alcoholism, vasomotor disturbances and pyrexia. Local redness with pain indicates an inflammatory process and suburn (actinic dermatitis).

Temperature changes in the skin: Temperature of the skin usually correlates with the temperature inside the body unless exposed to local applications of heat or exposure to cold. If the skin is generally cold, this may be due to poor circulation or obstruction of the same. It could indicate vasomotor spasms, venous or arterial thrombosis or exposure to cold. General abnormal heat is seen in febrile diseases, although in some of them a cold and clammy skin is present.

Wrinkling of the skin: If the skin is permanently wrinkled, it may be due to aging. If temporary it could be due to prolonged immersion in the water or dehydration.

Yellow skin: Could indicate increased carotene intake from carrots, sweet potatoes and other orange foods. It could also be due to jaundice or liver disease.

JUST THE FACTS:

Every minute 30,000 - 40,000 dead skin cells fall off or are sloughed off your body.

In one month, your body will have a whole new layer of skin. An all new you every month!

**This web site's goal is to provide you with information that may be useful in attaining optimal health. Nothing in it is meant as a prescription or as medical advice. You should check with your physician before implementing any changes in your exercise or lifestyle habits, especially if you have physical problems or are taking medications of any kind.